"It is totally unacceptable for the national broadcaster to report this Labor lie as fact."

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The complaint canvasses commentary by some of Australia's most experienced political journalists, including Insiders host Barrie Cassidy, the ABC's political editor Andrew Probyn and 7.30 chief political correspondent Laura Tingle.

Senator Fifield complained about Probyn's observation on the 7pm news on May 25 that Labor was "further squeezed by the Prime Minister's decision to time Super Saturday with a long-scheduled Labor national conference".

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He also took umbrage with Tingle's analysis piece that argued the byelection date was "a bit of political bastardry by the government".

During an interview with Health Minister Greg Hunt on Sunday, Cassidy remarked: "The PM can influence the electoral commissioner and the speaker, obviously, he gets some input into this. This could end up being too clever by half."

Fairfax Media's national affairs editor Mark Kenny, a panelist on that Sunday's program, said in the course of discussion: "It’s up to the government to decide [the date of the byelections] and the government has made a nakedly political play here."

Senator Fifield also complained Australian Financial Review political editor Phillip Coorey - another guest on the program - had "asserted the government had compromised the independence of the AEC and the Speaker".

ABC journalist Barrie Cassidy targeted by the Coalition.

These claims were "left unchallenged" by Cassidy, Senator Fifield said. The decision to set the byelections on July 28 was the decision of Speaker Tony Smith, not the government, but "despite this, Labor's partisan rhetoric is repeatedly reported as fact by the ABC".

It is the sixth complaint made to the ABC in five months by Senator Fifield, who as Communications Minister has responsibility for the public broadcaster. He also complained about stories by ABC chief economics correspondent Emma Alberici, Triple J's decision to move the Hottest 100 from Australia Day and two comedic sketches produced by the ABC.

"I have written to the ABC asking that factual errors in their reporting regarding the date chosen by the Speaker for federal byelections be corrected," Senator Fifield confirmed on Friday evening.

"The ABC’s legislation requires its news to be accurate and impartial. As the responsible minister it is my duty to hold the ABC accountable in meeting the high standards taxpayers expect."

Senator Fifield also demanded the ABC broadcast a correction "in the same program" as the one in which the error originally aired. He said it was "not sufficient" that corrections to news broadcasts were only issued via online statements.

An ABC spokesman said: "Any complaint will be subject to the normal process and we will respond in due course."